What is the one thing you know your body really needs but don’t make enough time for? Why is that?

For me, it’s yoga. I spent a good portion of my childhood in a Milwaukee brace (yes, the same one you read about from Judy Blume…a story for another day). The brace kept my scoliosis from getting worse, but made me quite stiff. It also impeded my lung capacity, so yoga became essential for flexibility, strength, and maximizing breath.

When I do yoga regularly, I have no back pain and feel great. When I don’t, the aches and pains return and I feel sluggish. So why don’t I do it on a regular basis?

We all have that something and its easy to blame laziness or lack of time, but often its something deeper.

It usually takes months of not doing yoga and pretty severe pain for me to sit and ponder this question and I always come up with the same answer: its the 5-year brat in me who wants sympathy and someone else to just make it go away. I don’t want to have to work so hard and just need a hug. When she comes to me, I usually laugh at the humor of it all considering I am now in my 50s. However, recognizing the true need is usually enough to motivate me back to my mat. I know she needs it too.

As we age, it gets harder and harder to stay pain-free and in good shape. Its important to stay ahead of it and to give your body what it truly needs for its best health. The child inside of you needs it too and will thank you in the long run.

The Balance: If you’ve been away from that one thing you know your body really needs, go deep and identify the true reason. Giving your soul what it may need first can provide just the motivation you need to get back on track.

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